Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Early Qing

1644 CE 1796 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 cn_qing_dyn_1 / CnQingE

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1368 CE 1644 CE Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1796 CE 1912 CE Late Qing (cn_qing_dyn_2) [continuity]

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General Description

The Qing Dynasty (or Empire of the Great Qing, Great Qing, Manchu Dynasty, Manchus, Jin, Jurchens, Ch’ing Dynasty) was China’s last imperial dynasty. The founders of the Qing were descendants of Jurchen Jin rulers. The dynasty was founded by Nurhaci and then led by his son Huang Taiji, but did not become an imperial Chinese dynasty until after Huang Taiji’s death. ^[1] In 1644 CE, Qing forces captured the Ming capital at Beijing from rebels and held a funeral for the last Ming emperor to symbolize Qing inheritance of the Mandate of Heaven. ^[2]
The Qing faced conflict with rebels and loyalist Ming forces for the next two decades. ^[1] Ming generals who surrendered were given power over large territories in southern China in exchange for loyalty to the Qing. In 1673 CE, leaders from three major southern feudatories led by Wu Sangui rebelled against Emperor Kangxi when he tried to reduce their power. ^[3] The Revolt of the Three Feudatories, as this episode is known, lasted eight years.
We divide the Qing Dynasty into two, an Early period (1644-1796 CE) and a Late period (1796-1912 CE). The division is marked by a period of internal turmoil as well as foreign incursions into its territory and economic sphere. In the Early Qing period, China had been prosperous under Kangxi and Qing rule, but by the time of the Opium Wars in the Late Qing, Western technology and industry had surpassed that of China. ^[4] The fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 gave rise to the Republic of China.
Population and political organization
The Qing ruled over an expansive empire, and its bureaucracy was more efficient than that of previous periods. ^[5] Qing rulers adopted the Chinese bureaucratic system first used in the Han and Tang Dynasties. ^[6] Before conquering the Ming, the Qing managed its population through a system of hereditary military organizations called the Eight Banners. ^[7] These became part of the administrative structure of the Qing Dynasty and were only open to those of Manchu descent. ^[7] In the later Qing period, however, the Eight Banners lost some of their political functions and served to enhance the prestige of the top Qing nobility. ^[8]
The central government was headed by the emperor and included a ’Grand Council’, created by the Yongzheng emperor and expanded by the Qianlong emperor. ^[9] The Grand Council ruled over the central ministries and provided a way for the emperor to circumvent the official bureaucracy for many decisions. ^[9]
The Qing provincial government consisted of governors who controlled a hierarchical system of officials, prefects, county chiefs, country magistrates, and clerks. ^[10] In the early Qing years, provinces were ruled by high ranking officials who were typically of Manchu descent. ^[11]
The territory of the Qing empire was more than double that of the Ming. ^[5] Tibetans, Uighurs, Muslims, a number of Mongol groups, Burmese, Thais, and indigenous Taiwanese were incorporated into the Chinese empire. ^[5]
Three Qing emperors - Kangxi (1662-1722 CE), Yongzheng (1723-1735 CE), and Qianlong (1736-1795 CE) - are historically known as great rulers. During their reigns, China was extremely prosperous. ^[12] Qianlong is famous for leading ten military expeditions, including campaigns in Taiwan, Burma, Vietnam and Nepal. ^[12]
Based on Chinese census and registration counts, the population of China in 1749 CE was about 177.5 million. ^[13] The following century was one of extremely rapid population growth, and by 1851 the population had reached 431.9 million people. ^[14] Historian James Z. Gao writes that the area within the Qing court’s ’sphere of influence’ at its peak was 13.1 million square kilometres’. ^[15]
While the Qing period is not well known for poetry, painting and porcelain as previous periods are, print journalism, theatre and novels flourished under the Qing emperors. ^[16]

[1]: (San 2014, 337-38) Tan Koon San. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press Sdn. Bhd.

[2]: (San 2014, 338) Tan Koon San. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press Sdn. Bhd.

[3]: (San 2014, 385) Tan Koon San. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press Sdn. Bhd.

[4]: (Mao 2005, 8) Haijin Mao. 2005. The Qing Empire and the Opium War: The Collapse of the Heavenly Dynasty. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[5]: (Rowe 2009, 1) William T. Rowe. 2009. China’s Last Empire: The Great Qing. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

[6]: (Theobald 2000) Theobald Ulrich. 2000. ’Qing Dynasty Government, Administration and Law’. Chinaknowledge.de. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Qing/qing-admin.html. Accessed 21 March 2017.

[7]: (Elliot 2011, 39) Mark C. Elliot. 2001. The Manchu Way. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

[8]: (Elliot 2011, 40) Mark C. Elliot. 2001. The Manchu Way. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

[9]: (Lorge 2005, 173) Peter Lorge. 2005. War, Politics and Society in Early Modern China, 900-1795. London: Routledge.

[10]: (Zhang 2011, 63) Wei-Bin Zhang. 2011. The Rise and Fall of China’s Last Dynasty: The Deepening of the Chinese Servility. Hauppage, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

[11]: (Hsu 2006, 415) Cho-yun Hsu. 2006. China: A New Cultural History. New York: Columbia University Press.

[12]: (Theobald 2000) Theobald Ulrich. 2000. ’Qing Period Event History’. Chinaknowledge.de. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Qing/qing-event.html. Accessed 21 March 2017.

[13]: (Banister 1987, 4) Judith Banister. 1987. China’s Changing Population. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

[14]: (Banister 1987, 3-4) Judith Banister. 1987. China’s Changing Population. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

[15]: (Gao 2009, xxxvi) James Z. Gao. 2009. Historical Dictionary of Modern China (1800-1949). Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

[16]: (Rowe 2009, 2) William T. Rowe. 2009. China’s Last Empire: The Great Qing. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

9 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

2 Linguistic Family

2 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Dog

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions

4 Power Transition

Instability Events

51 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1) was in:
(1644 CE 1795 CE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Original Name	Early Qing	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Capital	Beijing	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Great Qing	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Manchu dynasty	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Qing dynasty	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Qīng Cháo	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Ch'ing Ch'ao	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Empire of the Great Qing	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Manchus	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Jin	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Alternative Name	Jurchens	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Temporal Bounds Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	1796 CE
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Duration	[1644 CE ➜ 1796 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Supracultural Entity	China	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Late Qing	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	13,100,000 km²	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Succeeding Entity 1796 CE 1912 CE	Late Qing (cn_qing_dyn_2) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity 1368 CE 1644 CE	Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Language Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Sino-Tibetan	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Linguistic Family	Mongolic	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Language	Chinese	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Language	Manchu language	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Religion Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[668,200 to 822,600] people	1700 CE
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Polity Territory	13,100,000 km²	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Polity Population	[100,000,000 to 140,000,000] people	1700 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	7	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Religious Level	3	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Military Level	10	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Administrative Level	7	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Professions Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Priesthood	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Merit Promotion	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Examination System	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Law Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Judge	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Court	Absent Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Port	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Canal	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Bridge	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Information / Writing System Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Script	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Philosophy	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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History	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Fiction	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Calendar	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Information / Money Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Precious Metal	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Paper Currency	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Article	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Information / Postal System Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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General Postal Service	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Courier	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Information / Measurement System Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moat	Present Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Fortified Camp	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Ditch	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Long Wall	[6,259 to 6,700] km	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Military use of Metals Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Iron	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Copper	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Bronze	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Projectiles Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Sling	Unknown Suspected	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Self Bow	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Crossbow	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Atlatl	Unknown Suspected	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Handheld weapons Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Sword	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Spear	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Polearm	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Dagger	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Battle Axe	Unknown Suspected	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Animals used in warfare Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Dog	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Armor Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Shield	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Plate Armor	Present Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Limb Protection	Present Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Helmet	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Chainmail	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Naval technology Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	1644 CE 1796 CE
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Human Sacrifice Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More